Wally’s Day in Zhuhai（原创）

Feature story
By Dr. Ying Zhang（Rebecca／Zhangnana1020）

                                                                 Wally’s Day in Zhuhai

WALLY Lang is a foreign English teacher from Australia. She is teaching English at Zhuhai Senior No.1 Middle School. She is a very lovely woman who is welcomed by her students. In appreciation of her teaching style, her students wrote an interesting article about her and posted it on the school web. I first heard about her from their story on the Internet, in fact.

I am also one of her student now, though I am no longer young. Studying oral English is an important and enjoyable part of my happy life today. I feel lucky to have meet Wally in Zhuhai.

March.21 was a nice day in Zhuhai. Wally accompanied my husband, Dr. Cai, a few friends & myself on a trip to Tang Jia Town, Zhuhai to visit Tang’s Old House & Tang’s Garden-Gongle Yuan. I met Jimmy Tang again at Tang’s Old House. I had first visited him last Autumn. I have written an essay about the famous Tang’s Old House & Gongle Yuan that was published in Zhuhai Daily last winter. Then it was reprinted in the Wen Wei Newspaper ,Hongkong & Macau Daily & People’s Daily(Overseas Edition) at end of 2001.

Jimmy Tang is one of the grandsons of Tang Shaoyi (the first Premier of the Republic of China). He is an interesting man who can speak English very well. He is of Chinese-American blood. He was an English professor who worked at a university in Anhui & came back to his hometown to enjoy retired life. He also is a landlord who takes care of Tang’s Old House today. Wally was very happy when she met him there. Jimmy introduced their family history and shared some valuable old photos. He then told us some stories about the Old House.

The piano that played by Tang Shaoyi and his 3rd wife, Wu Weiqiao in the 1920s and 1930s is still on the second floor of the Old House, but it is too old to be used now. Wu Weiqiao, a very beautiful Shuzhou lady who had well education background & as be 3rd wife of Mr. Tang Shaoyi. She can paint painting yet & her painting works was collected in Zhuhai Museum today.

Here is very famous place. Many famous persons visited here past. It was said that Hoover Herbert, the 31th President of USA had visited here even. He was the Premier Tang Shaoyi’s classmate in the Yale University of USA. Edgar Snow, a very famous reporter & author in USA came here with his 1st wife Helen Snow for their Honey Month travel in end of 1920s last centenary. He is a good friend of people of China & Mao Zedong in past.

There are many torch gingers growing in the yard of Tang’s Old House. They are fragrant & beautiful white flowers. They usually bloom in the charm depth of Autumn until to next Spring in Zhuhai every year.

Jimmy took us to the Tang’s Garden, the Gongle Yuan. It is quite beautiful with a lake and many plants and fruit trees transplanted from Southeast Asia and Japan. Dr. Sun Yetsun was also Tang Shaoyi’s good friend & he planted a Black pine that came from Japan himself in the Tang’s Garden.

Wally pointed out that the “Beautiful Lady Tree” planted by Mr. Mei Lanfang, a world renowned Beijing Opera artist, is a kind of eucalyptus grown from a withered leaf. It has the scent of cineol. There are many eucalyptus trees in Australia.

Jimmy and Wally surprised us by singing an Italian aria in the round room of “Star Watching Attic”. Their voices were so beautiful, in harmony and resonance, with chords resounding throughout the dome. All of us enjoyed it. We will remember those romantic times.  The “Star Watching Attic” in the Tang’s Garden is Mr.Tang’s astronomy station in 1920’s~1930”s. It was said that is 1st private astronomy station in Asia. We can still see the Western Style of American fireplace in the Idyll Villa in the garden. Wally took many pictures in Tang’s Old House and Gongle Yuan. I guess that Wally will share the happiness with her family members and her friends when she goes back to Australia.

Jimmy presented a bunch of beautiful and fragrant torch ginger picked from the yard of Tang’s Old House to Wally when we left. Wally said that that she would never forget this day all her life. She looked as if she enjoyed being here very much.

She told me that she has been to many countries and regions as well as other cities in China, but to her, Zhuhai is one of the most beautiful cities really. I am sure that she will never forget this fine day. Neither will I.

(Published on WEEKLY NEWS & VOICE OF ZHUHAI, APR. 2002)

Yesterday once more.